Pastry students from pâtisserieLycée Antonin Carême with assistance from le chef gastronomique, Laurent Asset will offer you chocolate tastes that change hourly.

The theme at this years Palais du Chocolat is the restoration of the toiture at the chateau, so a chocolate model is construted in the grand hallway and many others in the Grand Orangerie by guest pastry chefs.

Why I resisted the unctuous caramel tartiner of Jean-Charles Rochoux on top my chocolate bread is beyond me...

Did you know candies from the red poppy/coquelicot by Des Lis of Nemours are good for your throat? I did not though I gobbled down a small bag entirely back home. They don't taste a bit like medicine. Other chocolatiers present at the Palais to taste: Maison Bossier, Comptoir du Cacao, Arnaud Lahrer, Sadaharu Aoki, Mazet Confiseurand others.

Fascinating glimpses of life with chocolate and on the chateau! How do the keep the chocolate toiture from collapsing? Rather cool room temperature, I suppose. The champagne macarons sound interesting, but they look a bit garish for such a noble ingredient.

Oh.... how I loved this post! Vaux le Vicomte was one of our favorite days in France this Spring. I had never been (to Paris, to France, or to Europe at all!)....and so, I planned and planned and dreamed. Your blog, was one of the many that I started following before the trip.

We did Versailles, of course, too. But Vaux was so much better (and far less crowded!). The story of Fouquet, and touring the rooms, the gardens, and all of it, including the restaurant! were highlights of the trip. When we were there, the ceiling was under construction and wasn't visible..covered by that great white sheet. Only a drawing of the details was visible. I'd love to be there to celebrate the restoration.....especially with chocolate!

It's a beautiful windy autumn day here in Michigan too. The sun is shining brightly on the tall oaks that surround my house. And now I'm warm and a little extra happy inside, dreaming of Vaux le Vicomte. Merci!

Candies that are good for you? Chocolate inspired by chateaux? CHAMPAGNE macarons?!?!? What a wonderful world we live in...especially In the part of the world called France! Yes, I have been to Vaux le Vicomte. It is lovely. But I guess I wasn't there during candy season.Connie*

Chocolate AND Vaux!!!! I swoon! I can think of no better, more opulent location for the Choc Party! But remember, Vaux was built for Fouquet, who was Louis' Finance Minister, and Fouquet was imprisoned for daring to outshine the King in his ambitious home! And that's why Louis had to build Versailles...to outshine Fouquet. I'm not sure he met his goal.

PARIS in yr Mailbox!

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5 and I'm still at it. Now I live by the Seine on l'Ile Saint-Louis. Do consider subscribing to my Paris letters and maps on Etsy and enjoy a taste of Paris in your mailbox every month to savor with a hot chocolate and croissant. I paint Paris dreams.